


As Easy as Boiling Water

by Verbophobic



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M, Other, Romance, Slow Burn, Sneaks my main otp into this fic, i guess?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-11-20 16:29:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11339160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verbophobic/pseuds/Verbophobic
Summary: October is more than just a month. October is a way of life for one certain bot. October is warm and loving. October is everything he needs and wants. October is a teenage girl.This Story is about more than just friendships or romances made. Bonds are what hold us together so will it be a bond that tears them apart? My take on how bonds truly affect those that it touches. How the bond can be as helpful as it is hurtful, but in the end worth it and nothing could ever take it's place. Never would anyone be willing to give a bond up.





	1. October in May

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Forever Mine DISCONTINUED!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/880706) by [Verbophobic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verbophobic/pseuds/Verbophobic). 



> Originally this was my Forever Mine story but back then I was very m/f and was meh about some of the ships. Like Jazz/Prowl for one. I love that ship and I Realize it's not in this story and I feel like It would be nice to add in a bit of fluff in the background because we all need a little break from the plot at times. Anyway this is my remake while most of the chapters are very similar (just heavily edited in some parts) I hope you all will enjoy the changes and ships that I hope to play with and incorporate.

Chapter One: October in May

"October?" A feminine voice, only slightly roughened by years of shouting and working with occasionally smoking cars, filled the small house. It belonged to a young woman that had just finished high school, her appearance almost as rough as her voice, though there was an elegance to her as well. Behind her stood her boyfriend, a somewhat short young man who claimed to be still waiting on his growth spurt. He did have five inches on her most of the time, though, due to her disinterest in high heels - save for special occasions. When there was no response to her call, she tapped her toes a few times before stepping forward. "Sam, I'm going to go get her."

“Mikaela, no." Sam wrapped his arms around her waist, refusing to let her go, not that she was fighting all that hard. "She's a big girl, let her dress herself." His voice was low and soft as he laid a kiss to the back of her head. She couldn’t help the soft smile in response, and then she looked up again, brightening.

"Ha, ha, ha, Sam. You're so freaking funny." October herself leaned against the door frame, voice laced with sarcasm when she spoke. Her golden copper hair caught the light just right to make Mikaela think of the copper wiring she needed to finish for her stereo. Sam just noticed her russet colored eyes roll to emphasize the sarcastic remark. "I just need to put on some sunscreen and then we can go." 

"Why do you need sunscreen?" Sam asked, releasing Mikaela so she could help October put the lotion on. "It's only like seventy out."

She couldn’t move to really glare at him, not with Mikaela’s hands on the back of her neck and shoulders, but she still turned her head enough for a sidelong look, which Sam only knew too well the meaning of. Most of the women in his life had given him that look many times. It basically translated to ‘you’re an idiot manchild but I’ll explain anyway’. Or something like that anyway, since they did always explain. "Sam, do me a favor and look at your skin, then look at hers," she nodded towards Mikaela. "Now look at mine. Notice anything different? I'll burn to a crisp in ten minutes without this stuff." Indeed Sam looked. He had a nice tan, gained from long hours outside with Bee or Mikaela. Mikaela was a light brown color, hers more natural than his, though she’d certainly had help from the sun as well. October on the other hand really lived up to her namesake. Her hair was like the dying leaves along with her bark colored eyes. Skin as white as the chilly bite that the month gave off. With such pasty skin she would indeed 'burn to a crisp in ten minutes'.

The lotion was on and outside they went. Sam's bright yellow chevy sat right in front of her small house, or as Sam fondly called it shack. On the tailgate were two bikes. October never said anything as Sam told his car 'see ya later buddy' even though she had found it odd at first. Then she had figured every person had their quirks, that was just Sam's. 

Opening her garage, empty of a car, she took her own bike out and hitched up the small trailer. She used to be a babysitter for several families so she had gotten a baby trailer attachment for going to and through the park. Now she just used it to put her bag and the picnic basket into it, this made biking to the park easier. The three friends put everything they had into her trailer and got ready to go. Sam was the only one that bothered with a helmet, until he pleaded enough with Mikaela to put hers on that she gave in just to shut him up.

October found it cute. Not the pathetic pleading or her giving in, but that he cared about her. All three of them had just graduated high school together and were taking a year break before college. Well Sam was, the girls were forgoing higher education. October because she was rich, her grandfather had been rich up until the day his heart gave out and willed everything to October including his large estate that her mother rented dirt cheap from her. She did odd jobs but was literally set for life, three times over. It was because of that vast amount of money that had fallen into her lap that she had only these two friends and envied their relationship. Love, or the teenage equivalent of it, was something that she wanted.

Being rich as a young teenager she quickly and easily saw how people wanted to use her for her money. So she became shy and stopped talking to people. Mikaela had been her gym partner from ninth grade until graduation but they had become friends before October even opened her mouth about anything money wise. With Mikaela came Sam, due to their relationship, so these were the only two friends she had. October wished for more than a friend. Or rather a friend that was not only just a friend.

Shy little October wanted love but for now she would be content to bike up this hill with her two friends, accepting the heavy sweating as a fair payment for not being alone. Cars and her, well they just didn't get along. Not since her father had died in one at least. She could easily ride as passenger with someone, but put her behind the wheel in the driver’s seat and she began to panic. Besides, biking and being outside was better for her health.

Behind her, October could hear her friends talking. "Hey, Toby," October grasped the wrong bike handle brake and held it so tight that had it not been for her trailer, she would have went over the bars.

"Call me that one more time and I'll remove a piece of your anatomy." Before people wanted to use her for money they had made fun of her. Moby Toby they called her; as a pre-pubesent kid to teen she had been a bit heavier than the rest of her classmates. The reference to Moby Dick did surprise her slightly though. Who had known her classmates even knew who- or what- that was! But even so Toby was still a sore spot.

"Whatever," Sam grumbled catching up to her and stopping next to her. He stopped to not only take a breath but a drink from the water bottle connected to his bike. He offered it to her and Mikaela. Accepting it she took a gracious drink then passed it on. "We were wondering if you wanted to meet a few of our friends? They're not exactly like normal people so we were thinking maybe you guys would get along." The we there obviously being him and Mikaela.

"I- I don't know," October mumbled and looked down at her feet as she stood and held the bike up during their small break. She hadn’t been good with meeting new people for a long time. If anything she'd make a fool of herself and her friends.

"Just come with us to meet them, please? Even if you don’t talk just stop by with us to see them." Mikaela asked and pulled out her puppy eyes. October mutely nodded already knowing that the eyes would make her agree no matter what. Besides, she was a sucker for doing what her friends wanted. All either had to do was ask and she would say yes. If Sam had asked her to meet their friends she would have said yes, but he had asked if she wanted to. "Cool, how tired are you two? Cause the base is only an hour’s bike ride from here."

Sam groaned and October took a small bottle of sunscreen off its key hook to slather more on. She hated getting burned, so if Mikaela was going to make them take an hour long bike ride she was taking no chances with turning her white skin lobster red. "Can't I just call Bee? Can't he drive us?"

"Man up Sam," Mikaela ordered then began to lead the way. Half an hour later Sam was falling way behind again and this lunch picnic is not what October had been expected.

When October was forced to stop again or leave Sam behind, she looked at Mikaela and asked "You want a cold water, Mikaela?" They were waiting for Sam to catch up so they might as well keep hydrated. Unzipping the sides of her enclosed baby trailer she took out her insulated lunch bag. In the bottom was two ice packs and five waters she had shoved in. Taking two she passed one to her friend and opened her own.

"Water~" Sam moaned as he caught up. Having drank half of hers already, October passed it to him. They were so going to get mono one of these days. Sam chugged the rest of her water and tossed the garbage back to October, who put it into the trailer. Mikaela finished what she wanted and passed it to Sam. He finished hers too and the same happened with that bottle. "Do we have to? I can still call Bee. He's got air conditioning, Mikaela~" he tried to reason then it turned into a whine when Mikaela ignored him and began to pedal forward once again.

October just gave her friend a shrug then continued to bike. Sam was so out of shape compared to the two girls! While he drove everywhere, Mikaela did walk and bike nearly weekly and caught rides with him, and October walked or biked daily. October also jogged a lot too, she used to be on the school’s track team, that was the one thing about school that she missed. This bike ride was nothing compared to her normal schedule it was just that the sun was going higher up and, checking her phone that was mounted onto the handlebars, the temperature was rising with it. An hour ago it had only been seventy, now it was seventy-eight and still going up. She did worry slightly that she hadn’t brought enough water.


	2. October, Not Toby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the mad late update. Just with the holiday it was hard to get online but here it is now~!

When they finally reached the military base, Sam entered the semi-cool hanger and collapsed to the floor. Mikaela and October walked around him, pushing their bikes in. October was in awe of the amount of security that went into the gates, three in total with barbed wire razor wire and concertina wire, yet the front gate was basically open. Well it opened and closed automatically with a different code put in for each of the three gates, but still. She glanced over at Mikaela as she settled her bike into place beside her friend’s, wondering just what the other woman was getting her into.

Leaving the bikes just inside of the large hangar, Mikaela began to show October around. Being the shy girl that she was, October just stayed silent and took in everything her friend said. "You remember the attack on Mission City?" Mikaela asked her friend hesitantly as they headed towards a new room. October nodded, who could forget giant terrorist made robots nearly leveling a large city? "Well not everything they said on the news was true. There were two factions of robots, not just one. There are the Autobots and the Decepticons, kind of good versus bad, you know? The good guys won with only one severely injured man - bot, I mean - while the bad guys lost their leader and lost the battle.

"The Autobots are the good guys that won the fight. Me and Sam, well, we're their friends. If you want, we were thinking that you could be too." Mikaela chewed her lower lip as she waited to see how her friend would react. She was waiting for either the laughter or fear that this news might cause. What she got instead she hadn’t expected at all.

"It's 'Sam and I', Mikaela, not 'me and Sam'. How many times do I have to go over this with you?" October said, voice soft but just a touch exasperated. Even Sam, who has been friends with the Autobots, was showing more interest in this news than she was. He was close to freaking out while yelling at her that she was crazy for being able to so easily accept this. He was convinced that no one in the world could be so calm learning about aliens and sentient robots and - "If they’re the good guys then what do I have to worry about?" she asked, bold now as she fixed her gaze on Sam. That boldness left the moment they entered the next section of the hanger where the large robotic humanoids were waiting.

It wasn't the fact that everyone was large robotic beings that had her falling completely silent and staring at her boot-clad feet. It was the fact that they were all strangers, and she didn’t know what to say or how to act in front of new people. Mikaela greeted the tallest one that stood in the hanger. "Optimus!" she called out, gaining not only his attention, but everyone else's too.

"Mikaela, where is Sam?" the giant bot asked, his voice a low and deep rumble. His eyes looked over the shorter new girl as he spoke, interested as he ever was to meet new humans. While Mikaela was average height for humans, she was very tiny compared to the thirty-two foot tall robot. So October, who stood four inches shorter than Mikaela’s five feet, was smaller than anyone the Autobots had seen except for children. "This must be your friend, October Williams, that you had wished to introduce us to."

Mikaela knew that waiting for her female friend to say anything would waste so much time, so she spoke up for her. "Yeah, this is October. October this is Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots. Sam is laying on the floor in the first hanger, I'll go get him." Mikaela left the hanger and October trailed behind her, just watching her feet as if it was the first time she had ever seen them. She didn’t want to be left alone back there. She was so shy and worried about being made fun of, even from these new robotic beings.

Ratchet crossed the hangar to step closer to his leader and friend, keeping his voice low but not quite a whisper as he said, "She's not afraid of us." It was as though he knew what Optimus wanted to know, a trait that the Prime had long come to appreciate from his old friend. "Or rather, she’s not afraid of us in the way that everyone is thinking." That was all the old medic offered before returning to his medical bay. While no one was hurt or in need of repairs it never hurt to be on the safe side, especially with Mudflap and Skids’ recent arrival. The two of them alone could cause enough damage for the entire Autobot faction. In addition, they also had their second - older, though not by much - set of twins, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. The chances of someone being damaged in the next twenty-four hours rose to nearly eighty percent when those four shared a station.

Mikaela returned to the hangar with her friend and her boyfriend in tow, animatedly explaining something to the other female. Sam was leaning heavily on the short girl while complaining about being tired and not knowing how the girls could do it - riding their bikes that far and long in this weather. "Can one of you guys call ‘Bee? He's probably still waiting in front of her house."

A large red bot nodded. His height was nothing compared to Optimus, but he still stood about twenty five or twenty six feet high, it was hard to tell from only five feet. His bulk made up for his lack of height, and if he were human October thought he might look like a bodybuilder, or one of those large guys that went to the gym daily and got their arms large enough to be the size of her waist. That was a small exaggeration, but who was there to judge her in her own mind?

When his large blue eyes turned to look at her, she flushed and looked back to the ground. There was no way he could have known what she was thinking, right? Mikaela hadn’t said that they could read minds or anything, and how would that even work? 

Her black boots stood out against the light gray of the floor, and she focused her eyes on that contrast, keeping herself from looking back up again. Her eyes traced over where her jeans were tucked into her knee high boots, and it made her feel different. She had never dressed like a normal person before, so whenever meeting someone knew she felt even more different, unacceptable most times. Sure these new people were large alien robots but that was not the point. People were expected to dress and act and speak a certain way, and she just never seemed to get the hang of it.

Sam was still leaning on her when he straightened. "The food!" he exclaimed, loud and high pitched. Startled, October jumped nearly a foot in the air. Literally, she had nearly jumped high enough to be of equal height to him. "Tobe's, go get the food!"

"My name is October," she muttered under her breath, but still she did as he told her and went to retrieve their food.

"I thought her designation was 'October', like your human month," Ironhide remarked, having caught her upset tone and softly mumbled words. "It seems that she would prefer it if you called her that." Ironhide didn't actually care, of course, but he figured he should make note of it himself as he turned away to fidget with his cannon more. They were supposed to be on good terms with the humans after all. He turned the safety on manually so there would be no chance of him shooting the small human when she came back; he wanted to show her his guns the same way he did with Sam and Mikaela when they first met. It was a very powerful feeling to bring them online, to hear them whine and feel them thrumming through his systems as he aimed them at a ‘target’ and watching how his ‘opponent’ cowered with fear. It might seem cruel, but he would never fire on someone that didn’t have it coming, so to him it was all in good fun.

October returned with two food baskets and a third filled with drinks. As she walked into the hangar, there was a whirring sound right above her and she was bathed in bright blue light. "Like my canons?" Ironhide asked, his voice geared toward a menacing growl. All of the bots and her two friends knew that he wouldn't do anything, he just liked showing off. Optimus stepped forward though, worried about the young girl’s reaction to this. He had told Ironhide that some humans might not see the humor, or be impressed, but his weapons specialist still did it every time.

Looking up, October was nearly blinded by the light. Her eyes quickly took in the large weapon that was close to twice her height in diameter, then her head fell forward and she scuffed her shoes anxiously. "Yes?" she offered, as though asking him if that's what he wanted to hear. Above the whirring noise, no other bot but him heard her.

He lowered his weapon, power leaving the cannon with a low whine, and watched her curiously. His helm tilted as he looked at her, calculating, curious, and confused. Honestly, he had expected, and even wanted, a girlish scream like the one that Sam had given off a year ago. October wasn’t moving however, and she continued to stand there with her head down. Her hair may have been in a ponytail, but her face framing bangs weren't and they hid her face, hid the brown eyes that were trained on him closely.

"Come on, Toby. I'm hungry." Sam called almost exasperated.

Once again October grumbled, "October, what is so hard about that?" Though she still followed Sam and Mikaela to go eat.


	3. Bee-otch

Two days later, October was at the base once again. This time though, Mikaela had work to do, so it was just her and Sam. "You said you would drop me off at Barnes and Noble’s," she grumbled at him quietly. It wasn’t that being on the base bothered her, and neither did the large robotic beings, it was just that she was still very much shy around the bots. She'd only seen the bots twice before and she had said little more than muttered oaths under her breath about how her name was not ‘Toby’. It was hard for her to open up to them, and she wished that her friends wouldn’t push so hard about it.

Today it was only Bee, the set of hellion twins designated Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, and Ironhide on base. Another possible bot had been sighted coming into the atmosphere, so Optimus had taken a team to meet them that consisted of Jazz, Ratchet and himself. They went to the projected landing site, hoping to meet up with a new Autobot, but prepared to deal with a Decepticon instead, just in case. The idiot twins were out patrolling at the moment, because one of the ground's cameras had mysteriously gone down. It was actually Ironhide's doing, and it got one set of troublesome twins away for a while.

Sam liked to visit the base with Bee as often as possible, so considering he had off this week this was his hang out destination until Mikaela got off of work at eight. He just so happened to like dragging October with him. Mostly due to Mikaela's urging, she didn't want her best friend to spend all summer alone at her tiny shack or holed up in a bookstore.

"Get over it, Toby." Sam finally said, even though he had stuffed almost half of his sandwich in his mouth, when he heard her grumbling about his nickname for her. He may have had great memory about who had been who in school with him, but he didn't remember her. He remembered Moby Toby - sure who wouldn't have remembered the obese little girl, especially when she was made fun of almost as much as, if not more than, him - but he had never made the connection between them. During the summer between fifth and sixth grade, she took up running and by the time she returned to school, had lost a hundred pounds and tipped the scale over to underweight at sixty-six pounds.

"My name is October!” October finally broke, shrieking at him in a very out of character burst of anger. “Get it through your thick skull, Sam! I never liked Toby and I have told you this a hundred-thousand different fucking times! I will never be Moby Toby again, so stop calling me that!" She had finally hit her breaking point with that nickname after half a year of it. Sam was completely taken aback. October was never this loud, and he didn’t even know she could get to that octave. The second thing that he realized - even though he completely missed the point - was that the chunky little girl that he had had class with was this now underweight short girl in front of him.

Realizing what she had yelled, October quickly covered her beat red face with her hands. Mortification filled her and she had a few moments of utter self-loathing before Sam spoke and completely ruined her.

"Moby Toby?" Sam asked with wide eyes, and October’s only saving grace was that they were in the kitchen alone. "You were Moby Toby? How? You transferred to our class in sixth grade while she- she- no one knows what happened to her!" He just couldn't see it. Moby Toby had been a hundred seventy pounds in only fifth grade, this girl in front of him could be no more than a hundred with her height and skinny stature.

"Please, Sam.” Her voice broke as she spoke, this was wearing her down to a point she didn’t know she could come back from. “My name is October, not Toby or Tobes or any variation of it. Just October." Getting up, she left him alone in his severe shock. All of their lunch trash went with her and she tossed it out. She was headed for the exit of the hanger. If Sam wasn't going to talk she would go walking.

She made it half a mile away when Bee, Sam's guardian Autobot, drove up. His alternate mode, the human vehicle he shifted into, was a 2009 Chevy Camaro. The driver’s door popped open and he waited for her to get in, "I don't drive." She said and watched in amazement as a human formed in the driver's seat. He was a male about her age, nineteen, with short and choppily cut blond hair. His bright blue eyes was the same as the rest of the Autobots' and his bright white teeth flashed in a grin.

"Hop on, lil' lady." A Southern voice played from the radio as the passenger door opened and the drivers one closed. Biting her lip she hesitated, she still didn't know Bumblebee too well. "Don't you worry bout what's on your mind (oh my). I’m in no hurry I can take my time (oh my)," Mick Jagger's voice sang from Bumblebee's speakers.

Even though the context of those words held a different meaning than what he was saying she understood. Thinking it over again she decided that it would be nice to be friends with at least one Autobot on base. This way she could stop hovering over Mikaela and Sam and let the two love birds make out without an audience. She had seen enough of that to last her a life time recently.

Silently she got into the passenger's side of the car and when she sat down she could feel the car humming almost joyously. "Hello beautiful~" a male's voice from a movie said, and then the radio shifted into another movie clip. "What's the destination?" 

October shrugged and slumped down in the seat. She reached for the seat belt and buckled herself in and looked out the window. The car lowered closer to the ground and she knew she upset him, "Sorry, Sam just really upset me," she whispered and not another world left her mouth. Bumblebee shifted, the car not his holographic form, and then they were off driving. Curiously she reached over to poke his form but her hand went through and his form wavered. His head twisted to look at her with a shock before he jokingly scowled at her, his wink was enough for her to know it was a joke. "Eyes on the road!" she nearly screeched.

"Baby- I. Am. -this car, Judy." She knew the first word was a song due to the tune while the second was Iron Man by Black Sabbath. The car commercial at the end threw her though, Judy?

But going along with his implied meaning she said, "oh, well then, in that case," and poked through him again. The car rumbled in what she assumed was laughter. Looking back out the window she watched his form from the corner of her eye until his hologram faced the road again. Then her hand snapped out and she poked through him again. She did it so nonchalantly and pretended that nothing had happened that he jumped.

He grinned like an idiot at her and she couldn't help the small smile that flickered to life over her lips. He turned back to the road after two minutes but his grin stayed. His eyes were locked on the road but an internal sensor monitored her. So when her hand snapped out again to make his form flicker he caught it in his own hand.

Her eyes became wide as saucers she tried to get her hand back. Bumblebee was suddenly corporeal and solid. He released her hand and she poked his cheek to double check. Yup, solid as she was. The music that was playing from the radio stuttered and the car rocked. He was laughing his ass off.

They arrived back at the base after a short drive around- having known she hadn’t been up for much interactions he had literally driven circles around in the city-, she had happily forgotten the incident with Sam and was back in her good mood. When he got into the garage he let her out and transformed back into his natural bipedal form before he stretched as he stood up. Off to find Ironhide and check back in he almost missed the heat signature following him. He looked back at it and saw that she was almost jogging to keep up with the two steps he took. Slowing his walk down he continued and was pleasantly surprised when she continued to follow him.

Oddly enough, he had once or twice wondered how mother ducks felt with their sparklings following them. Going to Ironhide's firing range he hesitated outside of the door. "Wait here," a voice played over his radio to October. Opening the door he cautiously entered, having learned the hard way that Ironhide might fire upon an intruder to his range if he was in a bad enough mood.

There the red mech was standing and tinkering with a canon. Using his comm link he informed his mentor and elder of his return. Ironhide just glanced at the yellow bot but it was a small white blob that caught his optic. Standing behind Bee at the door, but not daring to enter until he saw her- smart of her- passed the threshold, was the new human. It had been her stark white shirt that had caught his attention.

"Bee, you've got a follower," Ironhide said then looked back to his canon. "go and deal with it." An obvious dismissal. While Bee would have normally been dismayed at the curt dismissal by the mech he greatly looked up to, he had another being on his mind at the moment. His new friend was waiting outside for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might go back through and reedit this chapter. Something feels off to me but I wanted to give you the chapter like I promised. If you guys see anything in any chapter that's odd or sketchy just hit me up in the comments!
> 
> Also next Tuesday will be a late upload. I work in the AM.


	4. Good Deeds, Bad Repercussions

The next day Mikaela had off from work at the garage so her and Sam decided that it would be a wonderful day for a date, one without October- thankfully. With the duo out on a date, that left October alone for the day. In her small house she walked over to a wall filled with books; old and new. She was a loner besides her two friends so she had become a bit of a bookworm throughout high school. But today none of the titles seemed to appeal to her. The three book cases were side by side and only one and half of another was filled so she figured why not bike to the bookstore and get a few more books. The store was a twenty minute bike ride away and by the time she got there she had wished she had a car, if only for the air conditioning in the high eighty degree weather.

So taking it slow she got out her bike, added the cart attachment, then with an icy water bottle in the holder she headed off. Her head bobbed in time to music only she could hear. The volume that murmured though the headphones was so low she could barely hear it. The low level of music was a safety measure so that she could hear if a car were to come screeching at her.

It was a lucky thing she did too. It was not the signs of screeching that caught her attention but the loud sound of a thrumming engine not planning to stop. Pulling onto the shoulder of the road she waited for the car to pass. The vehicle of a police cruiser sped passed her at a speed that far surpassing the legal limit. The lights were off so it wasn’t that he was heading to somewhere specific, just that he was an ass that was speeding.

With a roll of her eyes she continued on her way and made it to the bookstore before long, she was extremely glad for the air conditioned building. Finding several books was what she had planned, yet none of them held her interest. After meeting real live alien robots no title from sci-fi or any type of fiction caught her interest. Non-fiction had never been her thing before either. The hour wasted wandering around the large bookstore ended with her purchasing and insanely expensive bookmark. It should be illegal how much they charge for a thin piece of paper with a bead attached to the string at the end.

But the day was not lost yet, and she stopped at the supermarket. While she refused to buy foods that needed to be kept cold- the half hour bike ride from there would spoil it all in the heat- she still got several things she had needed. Fruits, waters, and other like necessities. As she was paying, a lady with her daughter got in line behind her.

Today October's hair was pulled back in a braid for convenience. It kept loose strands from flying out and possibly getting in her face or sticking to her sweaty skin and still covered her neck. The little girl grabbed a toy and set it on the conveyer belt, "I told you no, Annabelle! Stop doing this shit!" October held onto her card when the cashier went to take it to scan. Holding up a finger the guy behind the register shrugged, he'd wait a minute if necessary. "God, you are such a brat."  
October took the toy the little girl was about to cry over and bought it. The G. I. Joe doll in desert cammies cost her an extra six bucks, the guy behind the registers used his employee discount card for ten percent off. He too took pity on the little girl like October had. Going outside October opened the doll and handed it to the sniffling child when she came out. The older sister or babysitter, for no mother would have treated their daughter in such a way- at least not in public- walked ahead of the lagging behind child.

The figure was held out to the little girl with blonde pigtails. Her blue eyes widened and she looked up at October. "Daddy." the girl said as she took the doll. Ah, so that was it. Her father must have been military. A car started up and then drove off but October saw the driver, who was illegally on the phone. Her jaw dropped and she kept a hand on the child’s shoulder to keep her from wandering off. That bitch of a babysitter!

"How do I contact your mother or father?" October asked as she watched the ditzy teen babysitter driving away. The small dark blue VW bug was getting smaller and smaller. The little girl just cocked her head to the side not knowing how to reply. "What's your name?"

"Anna! Anna! Anna!" she chanted. October sighed and looked the child over, that was when she noticed a heart shaped necklace around the girl’s neck. Reaching out she opened the locket to find a picture of a male on one side and a name on the other.

"Anna Lennox. Your daddy and mommy are going to freak. How about we get you home?" Anna lifted her arms and October picked her up. Taking out her phone she called Sam but as soon as it rang one time she immediately hung up. This may be an emergency but she didn't want to disturb Sam and Mikaela on one of their few dates recently. Their work schedules had completely clashed recently and today they had both gotten off for this date.

There was someone else she could call though, a number that Bee had programmed into her phone yesterday. "Hey, Bumblebee, you're a robot with free wifi and unlimited access to nearly every database, right?"

"Yes, why do you ask, October?" His own voice said over the phone. While speaking in person his voice didn’t work thanks to the voice box malfunctioning but through communications such as this, his internal database was unharmed so his own vocals seemed to work.

"I need to find a Lennox that's in the military." There was the sound of whirring on the other end like the robot was sputtering.

"Captain Lennox, what for?" Bee asked making sure to mask their conversation from not only the Decepticons but other Autobots too.

"He has a daughter, right?"

"Yes."

"Well his babysitter just abandoned her at the supermarket. If you can contact him I can be at the base in ten, maybe fifteen minutes." She knew that it was a lie and the fastest she could get there would be twenty minutes. "See you soon." she hung up on him and smiled at the little girl. "Let’s go find your daddy." Pushing her cart to her bike she stuffed half of it with the food while putting the little girl in the second seat. Taking out a water that she had just bought she gave it to the girl.

It was the Poland Springs water that had the top popped up like a water bottle instead of a normal plastic bottle. Already condensation was forming on the sides from the intense heat. "Thank." Anna said drinking graciously from the water bottle as October buckled her in. Anna seemed to think about something then held out the bottle back to October.

"No, sweetie. That's for you." From her pocket October withdrew a small pocket knife. She stabbed it into the case of water she had put in and opened it. "If you finish that and want more take all you need."

The base was a half hour bike ride away from here at a semi leisurely pace. October was nearly racing, she kept a close eye on Anna though to make sure she was alright. But Anna just finished her water and began to play with her doll. Anna, having taken October's offer of taking all she needed went through the bags and found a box of gummy fruit snacks.

Slowing down October stopped to go back and help Anna open it along with another bottle of water. Once the fruit gummies were opened October poured the water into the first sippy top bottle. The time flew after that and just as she was hitting the twenty minute mark she was outside the gates. The codes for all three were typed in slowly, she had memorized it because Sam had insisted on it, and then it was into the cooler hanger.

A man dressed in desert cammies paced back and forth. Bee had informed him of something happening with his daughter, just not what it was. October was slow seeing as she was tired and fairly close to having a heatstroke if the red burn across her pale face was anything to go by and she was pushing the bike into the hanger when he noticed her. Anger swelled in him, did this girl have something to do with his daughter? If she laid even a finger on his precious little baby-

Running up to her and he lifted her up by the front of her shirt and slammed her into the hangar wall. Thwack! her head went against the wall. "Where is she, what did you do to her?" He hissed through tightly clenched teeth and gave her a good shake- hitting her head again. This is why October didn't like human company- or rather any company- people assumed things and in the end, most times, it was her that got hurt. Figuratively, literally, mentally or physically.

The room seemed to spin and her eyes widened and her ear rang. He shoved her pretty damn hard. "Daddy!" little Anna cried happily, not realizing the danger her father posed to the girl that had just saved her. William Lennox dropped October, who crumpled to the floor, and ran to his daughter.

As Lennox kissed his daughter’s face all around October forced herself up. She felt like she was going to be sick. Standing and stumbling she managed to get outside before nausea took over and she was on her hands and knees vomiting. Spots littered her vision and she had to sit back and she leaned against the wall.

Inside Anna told her father, as best as a three year old could, what happened. How mean Candice called her a brat, left her at the store. Then the nice girl saved her, gave her something to drink after Candy wouldn't and let her have a snack since Candy didn't want to. Guilt washed over Will when he realized he had attacked the girl that had saved his daughter.

Turning around he noticed she wasn't there anymore and became worried. Then relaxed, if she knew the codes to even get in then she would be fine with the Autobots. The sound of retching outside made him him hesitate before he set Anna down. His little girl went back to the seat that he had taken her from and withdrew a water bottle and a toy soldier. Looking outside he saw October lean back against the wall then he noticed immediately when she slumped and began to slide sideways. "Hey!" Lennox cried and moved to get to her.

But she bolted up right before grasping her head and leaning over. "Fuckin’ hell," she grumbled as her head throbbed and her world spotted with tiny black dots. Will helped her stand then get back into the hangar where they, and Anna, went into the second part of the hanger where the bots had been waiting. Anna ran to Ironhide who lifted her up in his hand. He didn't even notice the human girl that was on the verge of passing out again.

Ratchet did though. He scanned her and wondered how she got a concussion. It was a mild enough but with the way Lennox was giving off guilty pheromones he had to wonder just what had happened. Shifting into his alternate form his holoform came to life and he helped Captain Lennox get her into the back of his vehicle. There, laying on the bed, she fell unconscious again even though both males tried to get her to stay awake.


	5. Left Alone

October's head was pounding and she realized that while one of her eyes were close the other was being forcibly held open. Brightness blinded her and she opened her other eye. She saw the shine of the flashlight before it moved to blind her other eye causing her to whimper. Looking at the pale man with a white coat she had no idea who he was.

Her head turned to her right then left and she knew she was in something similar to an ambulance. As she tried to remember why the vehicle seemed familiar she felt a painful throb in her head. "October?" the male above her said and she looked up at him, her eyes narrowing as she tried to put a name to that face. "I am designation Ratchet." Ratchet? No, Ratchet was an Autobot. Wasn't he? Did she somehow hit her head too hard and imagine all of the giant robots? This lanky guy with dark brown hair and large round glasses couldn't be him. Though his bright white coat, that made her think of a doctor reminded her of his occupation as medic. "I need to know how badly you hit your head. If you could answer a few questions for me-"

"You are all wrong." She said trying to sit up but only to have Ratchet push her back down. His face contorted into an expression of irritation, why must every patient of his be so damn difficult?! "Why are you human?" Her hand reached up to her head and she could feel the large bump in the back. God, why did that guy have to hit her as hard as he had?

October watched as Ratchet's face flashed to surprise then he gave her a kinder more understanding smile. "This is my Holoform. You remember about the Autobots?" His question was simple and to the point, he wanted to know if her concussion then passing out had caused damage.

"Of course I do, a little bump on the head couldn't make me forget that." Pushing Ratchet’s hand away she sat up but was also smart enough to not try and move more than that. Ratchet watched her not in the least bit amused at her trying to doctor herself. Lifting up a hand she waved it at him in a 'come on' gesture, "You said you had a few questions for me."

"What is your name and birthdate."

"My name is October Amy Williams. I was born August ninth nineteen ninety-four." Ratchet looked up the information and saw that she was correct, it didn't seem as if her memory was affected. Even so he asked her a few more questions. Her home address, simple addition problems, who her friends were. Simple things like that so that he could see that nothing seemed wrong with her mind.

"Well, once you are feeling up to it you are free to go." Ratchet said once all of his questions had been answered and scans of her were completed.

"I don't really want to go anywhere, but I want to get out so that you're not cramped up with me in here." Ratchet didn't show it physically, but he was grateful for that. As much as he didn't mind letting her stay here she was right. After time spent in vehicular form the transformers do begin to feel cramped. He didn't know how Bumblebee did it for hours on end each and every day.

Ratchet's holoform helped October out then as he held her steady his body seemed to release and in no time he was standing tall at his height of twenty-five feet or so. "Would you care to rest in the med bay?" She realized now that the voice from his holoform was slightly different than his real voice. His real voice somehow sounded more metallic, like there was a metal property in it while his holoform lack that property and was purely human sounding.

Ratchet kneeled and held out his hand. Then with the help of his holoform she got onto it. Once she was comfortable and safe the human form of his fizzed out and his robotic form stood tall. His fingers curled slightly to form safety bars that would keep her from falling to her death twenty feet below or so.

For the next few hours she just relaxed and watched as Ratchet worked. It had been around lunch time when she got here, meaning that she missed that meal due to what had happened. Now it was nearing four in the afternoon and her body was not happy with the lack of food. The gurgling sound that erupted from her abdomen startled both her and Ratchet.

Normally Ratchet would have kick her out hours ago but she had been so calm and silent that he didn't mind her being here. After so long he had nearly forgotten her presence all together so he had been startled back to reality by the sound her stomach had emitted. October, for her part, had be enthralled by watching him work and she too had forgotten her own presence. "Go child," he said as he lifted her up and brought her to the door, "you need to replenish your fuel levels. The food distribution chamber is a few hallways down. Take the first right then second left and as you walk there will be a sign on the door."

October slid out of his hand, her head still throbbed from the jarring movement so she was glad she had not risked jumping, and waved good bye to him. Maybe after eating she would give Sam a call and see if he could give her a ride home. Or maybe she should be asking Bumblebee, he was after all the car that she would be riding in.

Either way, she probably just missed the first right that Ratchet had told her about. Or had this one been the second left?

"Crap," she grumbled realizing that she had been thinking too much and was completely lost. Whatever, she thought as she leaned against a wall and slid down. She was too tired to bother walking around much more. October just felt so weak at the moment and that irritated her. She wasn't the one that was supposed to need help, in any form at all. It was her that was supposed to help others. In her pocket something began to vibrate and the tune she had set for her ring tone went off.

Pulling the phone out she took a deep breath, "Hey Sam!" she said with false enthusiasm. "How did the date go?" She listened as her friend went off about how much fun they had had. The movies, eating out for lunch then walking around the park until they began a heavy make out session, then to dinner and now that they were at his house they wanted to check up on her.  
"Sounds like fun." October quipped as he began to explain, in detail, how Mikaela wanted him to call and check up on her after their day without her.

"So what did you do?" He asked then she heard him hiss in the background, idiot didn’t even cover the mouthpiece of the phone well, "see, I asked her!"

"Oh uh, I was at the bookstore for a while." Sam made a joke about how she could spend a forever in the bookstore, "you know me," ‘if you could count an hour as a 'forever',’ sure, she thought sarcastically. "I also picked up a few groceries I needed. Hey, you know Captain Lennox, right? Well I met him and his daughter," did him giving her a concussion count as meeting? Eh, close enough she figured. "Then I hung out with Ratchet for a while. He's pretty cool," if what had happened could be considered ‘hanging out’ anyway. "Now?" she asked, catching only part of Sam's question. "Uh, I'm attempting to find the kitchen or whatever it's called. Then I'll probably head home. Sure, yeah, I'll give you and Mikaela a call tomorrow morning. Bye," she hung up the phone but made no move to do as she had told him she was. Finding food just wasn't worth it.

Her mind began to wander, and before she knew it her eyes closed and she sprawled out on the floor.


	6. Fluffy Filler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being late. been a real hectic two weeks lmao. Enjoy though.

October awoke with a kink in her neck and freezing. It took her a few moments to remember where she was. Wearily she forced herself up and looked around. Yup, just as she thought. Still no idea where she was or how to get out. The base was surprisingly big for such an unused place. She honestly thought half of these doors must have never been opened.

Well sitting around was doing her no good and she doubted she would nap again on the freezing floor. That was another thing, the floor was currently chilly but outside it had been in the mid nineties. If the concrete floor was this cold, that meant it was likely already night out. Actually Sam had mentioned dinner so it had to be late. Hunger was nagging at her along with an exhaustion she hadn't felt since she realized her family didn't love her but wanted all of the money her grandfather had left her.

Mindlessly walking she found a place she slightly recognized. The recognition was only due to the sounds of a weapon firing over and over. The large doors to Ironhide's weapons room were cracked open, October felt so proud that she remembered his name, and gave her a small chance to peek in. The large red bot stood in the center firing at non moving metal targets that light up. When one light up he fired at it before having to do a series of moves to hit the one that light up after it.

October found it oddly like a dance. His body never stopped moving and he was graceful with every turn he did and every move he made. He hit two more targets before lowering his guns. "What do you want fleshy?" Ironhide asked. Knowing it was the girl, whatever her name was, made him angry. Just the knowledge that little Anna had been abandoned where the 'Con's could easily get her made him upset. But knowing that it had been the fleshy femme behind him to save her made him furious because he should have been there. Instead he had been here sitting around.

Turning around he realized she had already left. He must have scared her away. But then he saw her peek back in from the corner of his optics. Turning he faced her and waited for her to say or do something, "I- I'm lost. Do you-" she swallowed heavily, "Do you mind if I stay here for a little while?"

Ironhide saw the fear in her eyes. "I was planning to leave and refuel. Would you like to come with me that way you can find your place?" October gave him a small smile that looked like it was forced. Had she actually wanted to stay with him and watch him shoot? Did he have a little fleshy fan? He reached her in five steps and reached a hand down to her. She hesitated but gave in and let him lift her up.

He was shocked that she was quivering so much. Was she honestly that scared? Did he terrify her that badly? It was not Ironhide that October feared. Just that she was sitting in, basically, a stranger's hand. It had taken nearly all of her courage to ask to join him just so she wouldn't be alone. "Would you like to sit on my shoulder or stay in my hand?" he fully expected her to say his hand.

But shockingly she said shoulder. He had asked so he might as well actually let her up. Once she got on his shoulder she wedged herself between his left shoulder and his head, the flat panel that made up his top and where his shoulder connected. Ironhide had more than enough room to turn his head without crushing her so he didn't mind. After a short while he almost forgot she was there. What reminded him was her sudden weight against his face plate. Before he had a chance to yell at her Captain Lennox walked by. He had kept Anna here because he no longer trusted the babysitter and by the time Sarah was supposed to get out of her teachers meeting last night Anna was already dead asleep.

"Is she alright?" Will asked worriedly when he saw October slumped over leaning against Ironhide's face. Some of her hair had come out of her loose braid and hid her face along with the shorter face framing bangs.

Doing a quick scan of her Ironhide realized she was recharging. With how easily she fell asleep in what seemed like an uncomfortable position he figured it had been an unwilling recharge. Her body had quite likely forced her into a stasis lock for the night. "She is recharging. I am on my way to the med bay to let Ratchet watch her. I heard that she had been hurt earlier."

Will's face contorted into a guilty grimace and Ironhide wondered why. "I’m guessing you haven’t heard how." The only reply to that Will got was a grunt. "When she showed up after Bee had informed me of only part of the situation I attacked her. All I knew was that Anna had been left behind and that she was on her way here. When October," Ah, yes, that was the fleshy's name, "was late I was agitated and scared for Anna. I irrationally took it out on her. Slamming her up against a wall was most definitely not a proud moment of mine. Especially when I learned that she had saved Anna and had made sure Anna was good. Gave my baby her own water and snacks. And how did I repay her? By giving her a concussion."

Ironhide was shocked at this news. Will had acted like a carrier mecha that had a child. It was in a carrier's programing to be violent if any danger comes towards their sparkling. Sires were not nearly as aggressive as a carriers when it came to that. Perhaps human sires were. "I have not known you to act in such a way before Will."

"I know. I was terrified and having no idea what was going on, I reacted thoughtlessly. With only the knowledge that a 'Con could have easily gotten Anna, that I had trusted someone not worthy of that trust to watch over my child, I just attacked." The shame that Will felt was written all over his face.

"It's cool. I would have beaten the shit outta me too if I was in your position." A female said startling both males. October gripped whatever she could on Ironhide to keep from slipping off when he jerked. "Jesus man, trying to kill me? I fall from your shoulder I get more then a small bump on the head." Apparently October had woken up.

"October," Will said then heaved a weary sigh. He felt so bad for what he had done. Perhaps a reward was necessary? But he doubted she would take money, after all she didn't even seem to want to be repaid.

"Forget it. Like really forget it. And don't mention it to Sam and especially not Mikaela. They would freak out." Laying down on Ironhide’s flat panel, instead of his face, she got comfortable again.

"Perhaps I can take you home then. Your folks must be worried by now." Will offered.

"Nah they haven't worried about me since I was fifteen." Silence ensued as Ironhide and Will thought over her words. Ironhide understood how sparklings of humans were treated and up to what age and everything, Will had lectured him that Anna at two was not old enough to need a toy blaster. So at fifteen human years her creators should have been worrying about her and boys she would bring home. Even while at the equivalent fifteen years, adulthood for the Cybertronians already, their creators still worried for their sparklings. It wouldn't be until the equivalent of thirty years that creators stopped worrying so much.

Will was just shocked as shocked to know that she had no one at home. In his eyes she was still just a child. Nineteen may be a legal adult but not many kids left their parents at that age unless they were in college. Where were her parents? Her family?

While the two were immersed in their thoughts October had dozed off again. Ironhide realized she was silent again and after doing a second scan knew why. Her slowed heart pace and evened breathing led him to knowing she had again fallen asleep. "I am going to leave her with Ratchet. I will bring you and Annabelle home tomorrow morning."

Ironhide and Will parted ways. Will to get to the room he was sharing with his daughter at this base, Ironhide to do as he had said then refuel.


End file.
